Hoffman Estates Fire Department Standard Operating Guidelines (PDF)

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 004 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title:...

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 004 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Professional Conduct Revision: 3 APPROVED BY: NUMBER OF PAGES: Re-evaluation Date: Alan Wax January 1, 2024 Fire Chief 3 PURPOSE DEFININTIONS POLICY The United States Constitution, The Illinois Constitution, Statutes of the State of Illinois, Hoffman Estates Municipal Code, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Fire and Police Commission of the Village of Hoffman Estates, Hoffman Estates Policy Manual and the Hoffman Estates Fire Department Policies and Standard Operating Guidelines shall govern the official and unofficial actions of each member. Any violation of the above rules may be sufficient cause for dismissal, demotion, or other administration action. Ignorance of the rules, regulations, directives, orders, or policies shall not be considered as a justification for any such violation. Members shall be responsible for their own acts, and they shall not shift to others the burden of responsibility of executing or failing to execute a lawful order of Fire Department duty. All members of the Department are required to achieve and maintain a professional level of knowledge based upon position and qualification. It is also a requirement of the Department that all members achieve and maintain an adequate level of physical conditioning in order to respond to and perform at all Hazard Zones and medical emergencies. Unsatisfactory performance may be demonstrated by unwillingness or inability to perform assigned tasks, the failure to conform to established work standards such as training, inspections, physical fitness, or other duties as outlined in the job description and the failure to take appropriate action. All members shall conform to and promptly obey all rules, regulations, and orders that govern the Fire Department. Members shall not engage in any conduct or act that will bring discredit to the Fire Department. 1 Members shall obey any order of a superior officer relating to job duties unless it is illegal or it places the subordinate in an unsafe position. Members are prohibited from using their official position for obtaining privileges not otherwise available to them except in the performance of duty. Members shall not solicit or accept from any person, business or organization any valuable gift for the benefit of the member or the Fire Department unless in accordance with Village ordinance. The First Amendment rights of members to speak as citizens upon matters of public concern is recognized, but members shall not publicly criticize or ridicule the Fire Department, its policies, or other officers by speech, writing, or other expression, where such speech is defamatory, obscene, unlawful, or tends to undermine the effectiveness of the Fire Department. Members shall not address gatherings, appear on radio or television, prepare any articles for publication, act as correspondents to a newspaper or a periodical, release or divulge investigative information, or any other matters of the Fire Department while holding themselves out as having an official capacity in such matters, without official sanction. Members shall treat the official business of the Fire Department as confidential. Members in uniform, not on duty, shall not attend any civic or community functions without receiving permission from the Fire Chief. Members shall not sell, give away, or in any manner dispose of any property belonging to the Village or Fire Department without express written permission of the Fire Chief, Village Manager, and/or ordinance, if applicable. The Village and the Union agree that the use of proscribed drugs, abuse of prescribed drugs, as well as having alcohol or proscribed drugs in the blood while on duty shall be cause for discipline, including termination. Gambling, as defined by Illinois state law or Village ordinance, is strictly prohibited while on duty. In accordance with the Hoffman Estates Municipal Code Section 7-10-4, smoking shall be prohibited in any Village owned buildings and/or vehicles. Smoking at the scene of an incident is prohibited. Smoking shall be permitted outside of the fire station, providing the smoker remains a minimum of fifteen feet (15’) from any entrance of an enclosed building. All members shall be in proper uniform and ready to begin work promptly at 0800 hours and will be in proper uniform until they complete their tour of duty, or as outlined in, Standard Operating Guideline A-6 (Dress Code). 2  Department members will at all times present a professional image as outlined in Standard Operating Guideline A-5 (Personal Appearance) and A-6 (Dress Code). Beds may be occupied only between the hours of 2000 and 0700 hours except as permitted by the officer in charge. The keeping of weapons of any kind or nature in or about the premises of the Fire Department shall not be permitted. All members will address each other and the public with courtesy and respect. All members are required to provide the Department with current addresses and residence telephone numbers. Any change of telephone numbers or address shall be reported immediately. PROCEDURE EXCEPTIONS REFERENCES End of Document 3